Distractions are good but we never stop praying

Distractions are great things, they occupy your mind from thoughts which may at times be all-consuming. I have exercise as one main distraction, Mark does too. So much so that he has committed himself to compete in the Coolangatta Gold in November this year. The only thing that may prevent this happening is if we happen to be in PI on this date. He has made a huge decision, for those of you you who know him well, this may come as a shock, he is having a sebbatical from work for approx 10weeks!! Yay! He has an incredible work ethic and this decision has been really hard for him. He has a few projects here at home which will keep his passion going, but he will ultimately be able to choose his training sessions at more convenient day times and not have to worry about stressful client requests (apart from mine of course!!) He has enlisted a coach to write his program and on 1 August he starts. He is amazed at how this distraction has relieved his mind from the constant thought of "when" we will get the call. I know too that when I am training and or competing I hardly ever think about "it". And it is a relief, although it never fully leaves your conscious, I am always looking up and asking the big fella to hurry up!
The Stats:
The Coolangatta Gold is a gruelling ironman race consisting of
1st Surf Ski Leg 23km
2nd Leg Beach Run 0.65km
3rd Leg Swim Leg 3.5km
4th Leg Beach Run 4km
5th Leg Board Leg 5.5km
6th Leg Beach Run 10km
TOTAL DISTANCE
46.65km

Mark hopes to complete it in 5 hrs. I will be there cheering him on, and if anyone would like to join me on the sidelines, he'd love your support, he won't be doing it again he tells me!! Yes I said you will be too busy being a Dad!

News back fom DoCS

I received an email back from DoCS today it reads:

I’ve taken a look at your file and our stats here. I note that you were approved by ICAB in September 2008. I can imagine that it has been quite a long time for you both. There’s no updated information specifically that I can shed on the program at the moment. As you are probably aware, the Philippines allocate children based on which family they believe will best meet the child’s needs. This is not necessarily in chronological order of when applicants were approved. Just for your information however, I can inform you that the last two allocations we received, applicants were approved in early 2008 – so they had waited about 2 years.

I trust this information is helpful and we will be in touch when we have further news.


SO, looks like we are staring down 2+year wait. Hang in there with me please!!!!

Friends rock

Friends rock, yes the friends that are positive and supportive and tell you with wonderful enthusiasm that they feel we are oh so close to being allocated. The same friends who spoke the same words over a year ago. Clearly the time must have flown by if I can remember those exact words!! But they are words I hang onto, they are my Mantra. I have been in contact with DoCS in Sydney to find out why the Filipino program seems to have come to a near stand still. I await their response! Last year there were 14 allocations in total for the PI program, this year from Jan-April there has only been 3, and I think perhaps one (1) from April-June. So although we are half way through the year, there is less that a third of 2009 total. Some feel there will be a flood of allocations in the later part of the year. Others are just praying that there is some movement. I personally just can't believe that it can be so slow! Knowing that there are children there in orphanages, just bursting to belong to a loving family, and our file is stuck in a cabinet awaiting (?) it totally breaks my heart. If only there was a status update of sorts, which kept you in the loop, advised you of something, anything. It appears we are so close and we live on and hope, but to be honest there are days when Mark and I discuss how we feel it will never happen, or we will be pensioners collecting child-care allowance! Then there are good days when we dream about our little one(s) sharing the moment with us. It's hard this waiting, harder than a pregnancy as there is no time cut off! Maybe DoCS may shed some light this week.

Waiting time = 22 months + 5 days